In the past, devices for measuring tilt from the horizontal have included such things as the liquid bubble principle with visual indication only, the liquid bubble principle with an electrical output, or pendulum mass principle with an electrical output. These devices are not as accurate or as sensitive as desired in giving deviation of the device from the horizontal position when tilted vertically from the horizontal.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an optical inclinometer in which the output thereof is an accurate indication of the deviation of the device from horizontal.
Another object of this invention is to provide an inclinometer which has two different inputs that are compared in an indicator to produce a differential readout of the true position of the device relative to the horizontal plane.
Another object of this invention is to provide an inclinometer that utilizes optics and detectors that respond to light intensity to cause the detectors to provide outputs to an indicator.
Other objects and advantages of this invention would be obvious to those skilled in this art.